7 (Los Angeles Railway)

7
Postcard of Spring Street, c. 1904
Overview
OwnerLos Angeles Railway
LocaleLos Angeles
Termini
  • Spring and 2nd Street
  • Athens Way and 116th Street
Stations26
Service
TypeStreetcar
SystemLos Angeles Railway
Daily ridership18,285 (1940)[1]
History
OpenedJune 12, 1932 (1932-06-12)
ClosedMay 22, 1955 (1955-05-22)
Technical
Track gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
ElectrificationOverhead line600 V DC
Route map

 8 
Spring and 2nd
 9 
Spring and 3rd
Spring and 4th
Spring and 5th
Spring and 6th
Spring and 7th
 J   R   S 
7th and Main
 F 
7th and Los Angeles
7th and Maple
7th and San Pedro
 S 
7th and Towne
7th and Gladys
7th and Central
 J   R 
Central and 8th
Central and Olympic
Central and 12th
Central and 14th
Central and 16th
Central and Washington
Central and 22nd
Central and Adams
Central and 28th
Central and 32nd
Central and Jefferson
Central and 41st
Central and 42nd
Central and 43rd
Central and Vernon
 V 

7 was a streetcar line in Los Angeles, California. The service was operated by the Los Angeles Railway from 1932 to 1955. It ran from Spring and 2nd Streets to Athens and 116th Street, by way of Spring Street, Main Street, Broadway Place, Broadway, and Athens Way. During its Los Angeles Transit Lines days, around 1950 to 1955, Line 7 was rerouted (or detoured) off South Broadway to Central Avenue, at least as far north as 7th Street across Olympic Boulevard to possibly Vernon Avenue, covering trackage that was abandoned rail by line U, when that line was converted to trolley bus August 3, 1947.

South Broadway Line (1932–1934)

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Geographic map; 7 is in green

7 was formed from the South Broadway branch of the M Grand and Moneta Avenue Line, and the Santa Fe Depot branch of the N West 9th Street and Santa Fe Depot Line. Service began on June 12, 1932. The route of the line was West 116th Street and Athens Avenue, north on Athens, South Broadway, South Broadway Place, Main and Spring Street to West 2nd Street, southeast on 2nd to Traction Avenue to E. 3rd Street, east on 3rd to Santa Fe Avenue, and north on Santa Fe to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway depot at East 2nd Street.[2]

South Broadway & Civic Center Line (1934–1955)

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On November 11, 1934, the line rerouted and renamed the 7 South Broadway and Civic Center Line.[2] This line ran from 116th Street and Athens Avenue,[3] north on Athens, South Broadway, South Broadway Place, Main, and Spring Streets to Sunset Boulevard. Tracks to the Santa Fe Depot were transferred to the 9 Line.[4] On September 12, 1948 terminus cut back to Temple and Spring Streets due to the building of the Hollywood Freeway. On May 5, 1955, the rail service was abandoned.

Final operations

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The public saw the automobile and the newly expanding freeway system in Southern California as the preferred and more convenient method of travel. Streetcar service on the line was discontinued May 22, 1955[5] and the route was converted to bus operation.

References

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  1. ^ Breivogel, Milton; Bate, Stuart (1942). "Mass Transit Facilities and Master Plan of Parkways" (PDF). Los Angeles City Planning Commission. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "7". Electric Railway Historical Association of Southern California.
  3. ^ Walker, Jim (2007). Los Angeles Railway Yellow Cars. Arcadia Pub. p. 78. ISBN 9781531629410.
  4. ^ H.P. Noordwal (1938). "Route Map Los Angeles Railway Electric Car and Bus Routes" (Map). Barry Lawrence Ruderman Antique Maps Inc. Los Angeles Railway. "Alternate link" (Map). via Google.
  5. ^ "May 22: This Date in Los Angeles Transportation History". Metro Primary Resources. Dorothy Peyton Gray Transportation Museum and Archive. Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. April 20, 2012. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  • Walker, Jim (1977). The Yellow Cars of Los Angeles: a Roster of Streetcars of Los Angeles Railway and Successors from the 1890s to 1963. Interurbans. ISBN 9780916374259.
  • "Rail Transportation Salutes Los Angeles 200". Pacific Railroad Society. 1981. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  • Swett, Ira L. (1962). "Los Angeles Railway's Pre-Huntington Cars, 1890-1902". Interurbans. ASIN B00162655A. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
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